Key ring and guard



Feb. 18, 1958 s. SEGAL 2,823,537

KEY RING AND GUARD Filed May 11, 1956 United States Patent KEY RING AND GUARD Samuel Sega], New York, N. Y.

Application May 11, 1956, Serial No. 584,232

Claims. (Cl. 70-459) This invention relates to a key ring of the type adapted tobe carried on the end of a chain and a guard therefor, and is particularly concerned with means for releasably locking the ring to prevent accidental separation of the ring from the chain to which it is attached or accidental loss of keys from the ring.

It is an object of the invention to provide a key ring with a cylindrical latch casing slidable thereon to divide the ring into two loops, one of which may be secured to a chain and the other of which is adapted to hold a guard and a plurality of keys. Another object is to provide the cylindrical latch casing with a spring pressed latch whereby it may be retained in position to hold both loops closed or may be slid into position to open either loop. Another object is to provide the key loop with a guard loosely mounted thereon to positively prevent any key from accidentally pressing the spring pressed latch to open it and thereby permit accidental movement of the latch casing from latching position. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a key ring embodying the invention with the loops of the ring held in closed position and with the guard mounted on the key loop.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the key ring, the cylindrical latch casing with the guard and a portion of a key being shown in cross section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the key ring with the key holding loop in open position, the dotted line showing the cylindrical latch casing in position to permit attachment of the same loop to the end of a chain;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the latch; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a key ring in closed position, with the guard and a key mounted thereon, and showing the relationship of the guard to the key and to the-latch of the cylindrical casing.

In the drawings the reference numeral 2 indicates a loop of wire bent in the form of a substantially complete circle with both ends ofthe circular portion merging into parallel straight portions 3 and 4. Portion 3 terminates a short distance from the end of circular portion 2, but portion 4 extends farther and terminates in a smaller loop 5 oppositely disposed relative to loop 2. The opposite end of loop 5 terminates in a straight portion 6 aligned with straight portion 3.

The free ends of portions 3 and 6 are spaced apart to provide a gap for a purpose hereinafter described.

The inner surface of straight portion 4 is provided with a notch 7 transversely aligned With the gap between the free ends of portions 3 and 6. The edges of notch 7 are square, in order to provide a positive engagement with a latch hereinafter described.

A cylindrical latch casing 8 is provided with two transverse apertures 9 and 10 large enough to permit the casing 2,823,537 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 to slide on the wire of which the key ring is formed. Apertures 9 and 10 are spaced apart a distance equal to the lateral distance between the straight portions 3 and 4 of the key ring. The straight portions 3 and 6 are each long enough to permit the cylindrical latch casing 8 to be positioned on either side of the gap in the key ring so that the end of a chain may be impaled on loop 5, and a guard and keys may be impaled on loop 2 after the cylindrical latch casing is assembled with the key ring.

The cylindrical latch casing 8 is provided with a longitudinal bore 11 extending inwardly from the end adjacent aperture 10. The bore 11 extends past aperture 10 but terminates short of aperture 9. A spring 12 is seated in bore 11, and a latch 13 is then positioned in the bore. Latch 13 comprises a latch bolt 14 fitting within the bore 11 and a cylindrical head 15 having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of bore 11. Spring 12 exerts a constant pressure against latch bolt 14 pushing it towards the open end of bore 11.

Latch bolt 14 is square in cross section and is L-shaped with a transverse arm 16 positioned beyond the straight portion 4 of the key ring. Spring 12 presses the transverse arm of latch bolt 14 firmly into engagement with notch 7. Notch 7 is dimensioned to fit snugly against the edges of the transverse arm of the latch bolt, and the engagement of the square edges of the notch with the square edges of the transverse arm 16 prevents any possibility of the casing being slid along the wire of the key ring when the latch bolt is in latching position. Latch 13 is so dimensioned that when the transverse arm 16 is in latching engagement with notch 7 the head 15 projects slightly beyond the end of casing 8.

When it is desired to slide latch casing 8 to open the key ring, a slight inward pressure on head 15 is sufficient to disengage transverse arm 16 from notch 7, and the latch casing may be slid along the straight portions of the key ring to either side of the gap. When the latch casing is slid in the opposite direction, spring 12 automatically moves transverse arm 16 into engagement with notch 7 when the casing is aligned with the notch.

In order to assemble latch casing 8 with the key ring, the loop 5 is twisted slightly to move straight portion 3 out of alignment with straight portion 6 to allow clearance for the casing. Then, with latch 13 being pressed inwardly to position the transverse arm 16 inwardly of aperture 10, the latch casing is slid on straight portion 3, with the portion 3 extending through aperture 10. Casing 8 is then slid around loop 5 until it is positioned on the straight portion 4, above notch 7. It will be understood that the curves between the ends of loop 5 and straight portions 3 and 4 must not be sharp enough to prevent sliding movement of the latch casing. When casing 8 approaches notch 7 it may be rotated to align aperture 9 with straight portion 6, so that the casing willbe positioned as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3. Alternatively, casing 8 may be moved past notch 7 and then rotated to align aperture 9 with straight portion 3. In this case the latch casing would then he slid downwardly to position portion 3 in aperture 9. After either portion 3 or 6 is positioned in aperture 9, loop 5 is twisted back to its original position in which straight portions 3 and 6 are aligned.

When the latch casing is in the position shown in Fig. 3 a guard 17 and one or more keys 18 may be threaded on to loop 2. Guard 17 preferably comprises a fiat annular metal disc provided with an aperture 19 which is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the wire of which the key ring is made. Each key is ordinarily provided with an aperture having a much larger diameter than the diameter of the wire of the key ring. The effect of an aperture of this relative size is illustrated in Fig. 6. The

3 aperture 20 provides a great latitude for movement of key 18 around the loop 2 and the key might normally press against the head 15 of latch 13 and accidentally open the latch.

Washer 17 has a large enough diameter to permit it to engage the edge of latch casing 8 adjacent the head 15 when key 18 is in position where it might otherwise press the latch to open it accidentally. The washer is thick enough to prevent the side of the key from engaging the end 15 of the latch. The guard must be threaded on to the wire of loop 2 before the keys are positioned thereon so that it is always positioned between the head 15 of the latch and the first key impaled thereon. After the guard 17 and keys 18 have been positioned on loop 2 the latch casing 8 may be slid to its latching position in which it spans the gap between straight portions 3 and 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

1. A key ring formed of a single length of wire bent to form a pair of oppositely disposed loops, one end of each loop being connected by a straight portion of said wire, the other end of each of said loops terminating in straight portions of wire parallel to said first mentioned straight portion and aligned with each other but separated at their adjacent ends to provide a gap therebetween, a cylindrical latch casing having transverse apertures spaced to fit said parallel straight wire portions, whereby said casing may be slid relative to said straight wire portions on either side of said gap, the inner surface of said continuous straight portion of wire having a notch aligned with said gap, said casing having a longitudinal bore open at one end, a latch positioned in said bore and having a transverse arm engageable with notch, and spring means urging said latch outwardly whereby said transverse arm moves into engagement with said notch automatically when said casing straddles the gap on the opposite side of the key ring.

2. A key ring comprising a pair of oppositely disposed wire loops connected at one end by a continuous straight portion, the opposite end of each loop terminating in short straight portion parallel to said first mentioned straight portion, the free ends of said short straight portions being spaced to form a gap therebetween, a cylindrical latch casing slidable on said parallel straight portions, said casing being wide enough to span said gap, a spring pressed latch bolt in said casing, the inner surface of said continuous straight portion of wire being notched in alignment with said gap, said latch bolt being moved into latching engagement with said notch automatically when said casing spans said gap.

3. A key ring having a straight portion of wire provided with a notch, 21 pair of straight portions of wire parallel to said first wire and aligned axially with each other, the free ends of said axially aligned wire portions being spaced apart to provide a gap aligned with said notch, the opposite ends of each of said axially aligned wire portions being integrally connected with opposite ends of said first wire portion by oppositely disposed loop portions, a cylindrical latch casing slidably mounted on said parallel straight portions of wire, said casing having a diameter large enough to span said gap, a longitudinal bore in said casing, and a spring pressed latch slidable in said bore, said latch having an L-shaped latch bolt including a transverse arm positioned inwardly of said first mentioned straight portion of wire, said transverse arm being constantly urged towards latching engagement with said notch.

4. A key ring comprising a length of wire bent into two oppositely disposed loops and two parallel straight portions, the opposite ends of said wire terminating in one of said straight portions and spaced to form a gap therebetween, said other straight portion being continuous between said loops and having a square shaped notch on its inner surface, a cylindrical latch casing slidably mounted on said straight wire portions, said casing having a longitudinal bore extending inwardly from the end adjacent the continuous straight portion of wire, a latch slidably mounted in said bore, said latch including a transverse arm spaced inwardly of said notch, said arm being square in cross section and dimensioned to fit snugly in said notch, said casing spanning said gap when said arm is positioned in said notch, and spring means urging said transverse arm outwardly towards the notched surface of said continuous straight wire portion.

5. A key ring comprising a length of wire bent into two oppositely disposed loops and two parallel straight portions, the opposite ends of said wire terminating in one of said straight portions and spaced to form a gap therebetween, said other straight portion being continuous between said loops and having a square shaped notch on its inner surface, a cylindrical latch casing slidably mounted on said straight wire portions, said casing having a longitudinal bore extending inwardly from the end adjacent the continuous straight portion of wire, a latch slidably mounted in said bore and engageable with said notch when in latching position, said casing spanning said gap when said latch is in engagement with said notch,

a spring urging said latch towards latching position, a

head adapted to be pressed against the action of said spring to release said latch, and a guard impaled on said key ring to prevent keys impaled on said key ring from pressing said head to release said latch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,031 EnEarl Mar. 31, 1914 1,571,425 Mataloni Feb. 2, 1926 2,307,808 Segal Jan. 12, 1943 2,503,211 Ormsbee Apr. 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 445,005 Italy Feb. 5, 1949 

